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Attack on Racism in Waller County
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American News&Issues
THE MIS-EDUCATION OF THE BLACK STUDENT ATHLETE Manhood, Race & Culture By Dr. James Thomas Jones III Ph.D., M.A., M.A., M.A.
There is little room for a reasonable debate regarding Marcus Mosiah Garvey’s status as one of the most important Black leaders who has ever lived. Garvey’s importance flows from not only his building the Universal Negro Improvement Association, but also his philosophy of Pan-Africanism, a belief that the politico economic destinies of all persons of African descent, regardless of where they are located on the face of the planet Earth, are inextricably linked together. It is Garvey’s philosophy that addressed the most persisting problem of persons of African descent to this very day; that being, a continuing inability for Black folk in America, not to mention every other part of the globe, to join together politically and economically. The reasoning behind Garvey’s belief that persons of African descent must come together resulted from his travels abroad to Europe, Brazil, and throughout
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the Caribbean that taught him an unmistakable fact that regardless of where you go on the face of the planet earth, persons of African descent are always the poorest, least educated, are unified in regards to politics, own the least amount of prime real estate, are in the poorest health, and have shorter life-spans than their fellow countrymen. There is a popular axiom that states, ‘those who fail to plan, plan to fail.’ There is quite possibly no more succinct means of describing the current politico economic state of Black America. Put simply, we have failed to plan a path to political power and economic freedom. Presently, things are in such disarray for African-Americans that many question if the “Black community” still exists. The absence of politico economic collectivism is a topic discussed in venues that vary from Black Nationalist gatherings to Black barbershops. All seem to agree that in regards to collectivism, the “Black Community”, a term that appears to be more of an oxymoron as the days pass, has failed to heed the sage advice of Marcus Garvey and consequently entered into a downward spiral; however, few understand why politico economic collectivism has proven so elusive to African-Americans. The issue of political and economic collectivism is similar to a board game where players develop, and implement, strategies to increase their politico economic power. Considering this analogy, it appears as if other groups --Alternative Lifestyle [Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, Transgender, Queer], Women [Wealthy, Middle-Class,
Working-Class, Asian, Latina, White, Black], Asian [Chinese, Japanese, Filipino] Latina [Mexican, Puerto Rican, Brazilian, Cuban, Dominican] and White [Irish, Anglo-Saxon, Russian, Italian, Polish, German] --- are able to make logical moves on the overcrowded game board and forge alliances to advance their particular interests. Now you must understand that it is not that persons of African descent [Nigerian, Jamaican, AfricanAmerican, Ghanaian, Black Brits, Haitian, Cuban, Brazilian, Caribbean] are not involved in the game, they simply seek to play it without forging an alliance with others, particularly those within their own racial group. Predictably, their attempt to navigate without the assistance of like-minded groups who hold similar interests leads to frustration and eventually the total loss of political power and economic freedom, this situation invariably leads to total dependence upon others for material survival; they eventually develop a parasitic relationship to a more dominant, not necessarily numerically superior, group. In time, some Blacks will make what they consider a logical move to get in the game, a decision that drives home just how uninformed they are regarding how the game is played, they will shun others within their own racial/ethnic group and attempt to join with another group that they have little in common with, thinking it is an appropriate strategy to extricate themselves out of the cavernous sinkhole they see their race sinking into. Continue Reading Online Online @ Aframnews.com
TEXAS • AUGUST 17 - 24, 2015
WHAT I SAW IN WATTS 50 YEARS AGO & WHAT I SEE TODAY Earl Ofari Hutchinson Author & Political Analyst
I and a couple of friends stood transfixed with hundreds of others on the corner several blocks from my house in South L.A. watching what seemed like a horrid page out of “Dante’s Inferno”. But this wasn’t the classic writer’s epic poem. This was real life. Liquor stores, a laundromat, and two cleaners blazed away. There was an ear-splitting din from the crowd’s shouts, curses and jeers at the police cars that sped by crammed with cops in full battle gear, shotguns flailing out of their cars. There was an almost carnival air of euphoria among the roving throngs as packs of young and not-so-young persons darted into the stores snatching and grabbing anything that wasn’t nailed down. Their arms bulged with liquor bottles and cigarette cartons. I was 18, and there was almost a kid’s mix of awe and fascination watching this. For a brief moment there was even the temptation to make my own dash into one of the burning stores. But that quickly passed. One of my friends kept repeating with his face contorted with anger: “Maybe now they’ll see how rotten they treat us.” By the “they” he meant “the White man.” My friend’s words were angry and bitter. The words were bitter and in that bitter moment he said
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what countless other Blacks felt as the flames and the smoke swirled around me. The events of those days and his words still remain burned in my memory on the fiftieth anniversary of the Watts riots this August. I still think of the streets that we were shooed down by the police and the National Guard during those hellish days. They’re impossible to forget for another reason. A half century later, some of those streets look as if time has stood still. They are dotted with the same fast food restaurants, beauty shops, liquor stores, and mom-and-pop grocery stores. The main street near the block I lived on then is just as unkempt, pothole-ridden and trash littered. All the homes and stores in the area are all hermetically sealed with iron bars, security gates, and burglar alarms. In taking a hard look at what has changed in America’s Watts’s in the half century since the Watts riots fifty years ago, Marquette Frye, the twenty-year-old motorist whose arrest sparked the riots, name has been replaced by these names: Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, Ezell Ford, and Sandra Bland. They have one thing in common with Frye.
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“MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY: COULD WE HAVE MISSED SANDY BLAND’S SIGNS…?” Before I Lay it Down... By “Coach” Mark Spivey
It was on the morning of February 17th, 1979, when I arrived home from working overnight at the Motorola Semiconductor Plant in Austin, Texas. That graveyard shift wasn’t no joke! I was a QA (Quality Assurance) Operator in charge of inspecting micro-computer chips for defects under a microscope for eight long hours. The area I worked in was cleaner than a hospital operating room. I had to wear a mask, some goggles, a lint-free gown, and some shoes covered with those little “booty” thingys before I started my job. Prior to entering my work space I had to pass through a “wind tunnel” that blew anything dirt-related off my gear. One speck of dirt inside of that facility could contaminate and destroy a “micro-chip” costing Motorola hundreds of dollars. It was the start of the high-tech era… I made it home around 8:00 a.m. and when I opened the door I saw my then-wife scrawled out on the floor in excruciating pain. Her water had broken and my oldest daughter was on her way into this world 2 months premature. I packed my wife to my 1977 Camaro and rushed towards Brackenridge Hospital. As I zoomed down I-35, the worst thing that anyone could imagine happened to us: a major traffic jam. It was not due to an automobile accident, but rather the State UIL Basketball Tournament. Luckily, I flagged down a police officer and was escorted to the hospital just in time. My 3 pound 9 ounce daughter was born alive and healthy. It wasn’t until she turned 6 years old that we found out that she had Sickle Cell Anemia. My daughter suffered a lot when she was young from the side effects of Sickle Cell. She had to take medicine daily and was fitted
with a crude-looking brace that kept her legs parted with a bar between them. That was to insure that her hips developed properly seeing how she had a calcium deficiency. Seeing my baby wobble all over the house and be made fun of at school by her classmates didn’t resonate well with me. One day, I just prayed and asked God to heal her. I threw those braces away and she never wore them again. It was nearly 25 years before she had any problems with Sickle Cell again. In 2012, I got a call from my youngest son. He said: “Daddy, there’s something wrong with Peaches.” “She’s 50 miles from home, sitting on the side of the road telling the police that she’s waiting on her “father”. “They left and came back six hours later and she was still sitting there. When they asked her was she still waiting for her father, she told them “yes”. They then asked what her father’s name was. She replied: “Jesus”. My son went on to say: “They’ve taken her to the hospital.” Once I got to the hospital, my daughter had suffered a mental breakdown due to Sickle Cell complications. After a quarter of a century in remission, the disease reared its ugly head. Peaches was in a terrible mental state for about a month. We had her transferred down to the Houston Medical Center where she received the best medical attention in the world. Thanks to God, she completely recovered and is doing well. Could it be possible that Sandra Bland really suffered from some type of mental illness? Did people who worked, lived, and interacted with her daily miss the “signs”? As much as we do not want to believe it, could it have been possible that she actually took her own life? At this moment, we just don’t know. One of the reasons that we won’t accept the reality of it is that African-Americans really don’t discuss the possibilities of mental illness occurring in our neighborhoods as often as we should. Continue Reading Online Online @ Aframnews.com
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PLEASE DO NOT FORGET OUR HISTORY! FORGETTING WHAT - ROY DOUGLAS MALONSON HAPPENED TO US CAN DESTROY US!
WHAT ABOUT US?
We MUST Understand
As a native Houstonian, I have watched so many Houston Mayoral races that have largely occurred without any of the candidates taking a moment to address the peculiar issues facing the African-American community. It is honestly a peculiar situation that in a city that has such a large population of African-Americans that this community is consistently ignored.
ity. Instead of addressing the entire community, they meet with a select few Black ‘leaders’. This omission has occurred so frequently that the AfricanAmerican community no longer expects candidates to meet with them. There are several reasons why those seeking Houston’s Mayoral position would not meet with voters who represent at least 33% of the expected voters:
deal with this significant bloc of voters. In a racially diverse city such as Houston, Texas, the failure of Mayoral candidates to meet with each com-
Adrian Garcia - D
Stephen Costello - R
Sylvester Turner - D
Bill King- R
Chris Bell - D
Ben Hall - D
Far too often the AfricanAmerican community has been ‘a day late and a dollar short’ in regards to political matters. We must make certain that this does not occur with the upcoming Mayoral election that at least a dozen candidates are preparing for. One of the most bothersome facts that politically astute AfricanAmericans have dealt with historically is that very few politicians running for local, state, or national level offices have made meeting with the African-American community a prior-
(A) The candidate does not feel that African-Americans or their issues matter. (B) African-Americans are not considered a significant voting bloc. (C) The candidate does not feel as if they have an opportunity to win those votes; so it is considered a waste of time. If the prospective candidates were brutally honest, they would convey some combination of the above reasons as to why they have not met with the Black community during election season in an official debate designed to
munity is inexcusable. Local Negro leaders and Mayoral candidates should be ashamed that a community with a population that well exceeds one million, and continues to grow, has not warranted an event that calls every candidate --- Democrat, Independent, Republican --- before it to discuss the specific issues facing Black Houstonians. Maybe, just maybe, it is not only time for such an event, but also we have the means to organize such an event. What do you think?
By Roy Douglas Malonson, Chairman
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African
American News&Issues
Sheriff Glenn Smith From Pg. 1
Waller County Sheriff Glenn Smith
HEMPSTEAD - Recently, the Waller County Sheriff sat down for an exclusive interview with African-American News & Issues. At the top of the interview, after he stated his name as Glenn Smith and named his position as the Sheriff of Waller County, Texas, the Sheriff sat patiently as the interviewer responded. She began by asking, “You were once the Chief of police, but you were relieved of your duties as a result of City Council Vote. Why was that?” He spoke in a sincere tone and answered, “It was some issues we were asked by the City Council and the Mayor to crack down on in several areas of our city; unfortunate street drug sales and different things like that, and of course, there was a high volume of arrests and different things, and there were several complaints that came to the city about racism and saying we were just picking on certain areas of the city and things. And during that time, I
actually, myself, had a confrontation with an individual out on the street where I ended up sticking my finger in his chest after he was spitting in my face and of course, Council didn’t like that and felt like I probably lost my temper about it, so during this time in ’07, they had given me a 2-week suspension on that and I had went to a faith-based anger management class, which – if this country would go to one, we’d probably all be a lot better off, but anyways – so that sorta set the stage for some uneasiness. 2008 came along and the Sheriff here at the time decided to retire and there were several of us; matter of fact – it was about eight of us decided to run and that same year in January of ’08, my son married. So I was gone one weekend to the wedding and my narcotics group and my officers ran a search warrant on a residence over near the high school and that search warrant was run on the wrong house. They got cattycornered and opposite the right house. But anyways – needless to say, it was inappropriate and unacceptable. And, that sorta re-flared up situations that had come along in ’07. And in the meantime, I was in that race. I was the lead candidate coming out of the primary, along with one other in the Republican primary that was in a runoff. So, between the primary and the runoff which was on April 8th, the city and some citizens came out there complaining about that search warrant and how they didn’t like the way things was going. And anyways – they called for actually 2 votes that night before the majority of a 3 to 2 vote decided on what I think they called ‘a confidante’. And
Letter to the Editor W
C ver St ry
I, of course, refused to resign and that’s when they voted to terminate. And so, that’s the specifics of it. There’s been a lots of statements about racism and there certainly was statements from back then, in ’07. But as for the termination of me at the time; there was no racism allegations regards to Glenn Smith at that time.” The interviewer then asked him the following question: “Do you consider yourself a racist?” Sheriff Smith answered emphatically, “No. Absolutely not.” After receiving that answer, the interviewer sited quotes from the Waller County Sheriff’s website (http://www.wallercountytexassheriff.org/) . She then said to the Sheriff, “I looked at your website and it boasts of being proud of serving the citizens of Waller County and it also says ‘our employees strive really hard to provide every possible assistance we can to everyone’.” From there, the interviewer asked the Sheriff, “What do you consider as the ultimate way of serving the citizens?” “Correct,” he said , as he replied further “Well – I think that obviously for Law Enforcement, the utmost and first service we have to do is protect life and property and that includes those that are in custody, those citizens out here, those passing through the county. That’s our job! If there’s a disturbance out there or somebody is threatening somebody; well, obviously that’s the ultimate protect and service that we’ve gotta do, but in the meantime too – we have the service of patrolling and making sure that houses don’t get broke into while people are away at work and things like that.
e welcome all original responses from our readers to content found in the African-American News&Issues. Letters to the Publisher may be sent via e-mail to news@aframnews.com. Please keep all letters under 300 words. Be sure to include the author’s name, area of residence. All letters and articles may be verified before they are published. All letters are subjected to editing or being cut for spacing purposes. Thank you in advance for your submission. TX- 4
But, service and protection is ‘an idea’. It’s a belief that a person has; where all of it probably has a little bit different definition. But to me; probably the best definition I can give is: Law Enforcement to me, is no different than a Pastor of a church, a Doctor, a Military Person, or somebody that decides to join the fire department. You feel like you’ve got it inside of you that you have to go and help people, and I think we take that too short sometimes, that’s really what it boils down to. We’re just really supposed to be here to help. We can’t solve everything, and we’re not always gonna be able to do things exactly like everybody wants it done, but that’s it in simple terms: it’s purely just help; helping people with just whatever they need.” From there, Sheriff Glenn Smith spoke openly with the interviewer about several matters with what appeared to be sincerity, conviction, and truth. When the questions were shifted back to the initial arrest of Miss Sandra Bland, the interviewer began by saying, “On the video released by the Texas Department of Public Safety of Miss Bland’s traffic stop, the arresting officer, Brian Encinia, tells her that the reason for her stop is that she “failed to signal a lane change.” The officer returns to his car, then approaches Miss Bland’s vehicle a second time. He remarks to Bland, “You seem very irritated.” Miss Bland responds, “I am. I really am.” She continues by saying, “I was getting out of your way. You were speeding up, tailing me, so I move over, and you stop me. So, yeah, I am a little bit irritated.” At that point, Sheriff Smith was asked: “Is it logical to believe that Miss Bland was simply trying to move out of the way of the police vehicle?” And shockingly, the Sheriff answered, “Yes…”. The truth is: once a person
Texas •A 1712-18, - 24, 2015 Texas • ugust August 2013
seizes the opportunity and views the video recording of the exclusive interview between Sheriff Glenn Smith and the interviewer from African-American News & Issues, chances are: they will be shocked to realize that somewhere within the corners of their own conscience, they will find that much of the hostility from African-American protesters and activists has been displaced, where Sheriff Smith is concerned. He spoke of how he regrets that the incident involving Miss Bland ever took place at all and of how he wants to challenge people to do better as it relates to how we treat one another. He also mentioned how officers need sensitivity training in order to better understand how to deal with the citizens in a more effective manner. He surprisingly answered each one of the questions with great candidness. Towards the end of the interview, Sheriff Glenn Smith discussed changes that he would like to see and also implement. He said, “It’s scary to me; the relationship -- that sometimes it seems we’re building in this country between law Enforcement, the Government, and the citizens; and it’s gotta stop.” He expressed his awareness of racism in Waller County, however, he doesn’t believe that there is any more nor any less racism in Waller County than there is in any other part of the Country. He proposed that we need some kind of classes; even something as simple as ‘how to be nice to each other’. He also stated with great genuineness: “I will NEVER forget the death of Miss Bland. That’s number one; never.” NOTE - To view and listen to the video in its entirety, visit: www.aframnews.com/wallercounty-sheriff-attacks-racismexclusive-interview-glenn-smith/ Story By: Shelondra Peavy
P litics
Texas • augusT 17 - 24, 2015
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GAY COMMUNITY’S FORCE BEYONCE TO TAKE A POLITICAL STAND FOR H.E.R.O.
HOUSTON - Unfortunately for the African-American community, there seems to be an unwritten rule that Black entertainers’ --- Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Beyonce Knowles, Michael Jackson, Tiger Woods, Jay Z, Luther Vandross, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Gooden, Janet Jackson, Michael Irvin, and the list goes on and on --- must agree to prior to achieving the superstar status that they are so known for throughout the world; that rule is quite simply, that under no uncertain terms are they ever to publicly address any political issue that affects their people in a manner that would offend a White community that has historically exploited their own people politically and economically. This trend by Black athletes, actors, movie producers/directors, and talk show hosts to refuse to publicly issue any statement regarding ‘racial matters’ is a relatively recent trend, nevertheless, today it appears to be either an unspeakable unspoken understanding among Black stars that under no circumstances, including the murder of Black people in the streets of America, that they are never to ‘bite the hand that feeds them’ by taking a strong posture on what can be best termed ‘racial matters’. It is rare to find an African-American star such as Whoopi Goldberg or Samuel L. Jackson who are not only politically astute, but also courageous enough to speak on the behalf of their own people when they have been wronged. Make no mistake about it; for the vast majority of ‘Black Hollywood’ there is no level of success that they can attain that would make them immune from this little ‘Hollywood rule’. For fearful African-American stars, regardless of the venue that they have achieved their success, the fear that their hard-earned fame and money could be taken away by Whites if they take too serious of a political stance in support of their own people is a very real issue. It is obvious that their allegiance is to their money and fame, not the African-American community that supported and encouraged them prior to outsiders
even knowing of their existence. It is this fear of reprisals from a financially formidable White community that forced Michael Jordan, undoubtedly the most successful National Basketball Player to ever exist when one considers both his on-court athletic abilities and off-court business success to refuse to take a public political stance that would aid his community in any form, shape, or fashion. We must never forget that it was Michael Jordan who refused to publicly support any political party or issue because it threatened to damage his bottom-line financial realities. When pressed regarding his refusal to endorse a political party, Jordan simply quipped, “Republicans buy shoes also.” Clearly an insinuation that he, and those who advise him regarding such matters, did not desire to anger anyone who could potentially purchase his shoes. As mentioned above, this trend toward African-American stars remaining mute regarding prominent political issues facing their community is a relatively recent phenomenon that apparently began when the White community began welcoming prominent AfricanAmericans into their fold; of course, this hospitality rested heavily upon the alluded to Black stars remaining mute on all racial matters. In the period prior to Black superstars such as Michael Jordan and O.J. Simpson publicly pandering to a still discriminatory White populace, prominent Black superstars such as Paul Robeson, Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar), Jesse Owens, and Jim Brown, publicly supported the African-American community regarding political matters; even at highly contentious moments that risked the loss of always tenuous White support. One could very well argue that the general rule for the last forty-years to Black entertainers has been a simple one, “Don’t get caught up supporting any of that Black stuff as it will lead to you being Blackballed and ruining your career.” Considering the absence of any commentary from either
‘Black Hollywood’ or any of the professional sports leagues --- NBA, NFL, or MLB --- this unwritten rule has successfully caused AfricanAmerican entertainers to by-pass any commentary regarding either politics or the socioeconomic issues affecting their people. Apparently, this rule to remain silent regarding political matters only applies to Black artists when racial matters arise as this expectation to remain mute is totally flipped for prominent African-Americans when the political matter is a nonracial one. And make no mistake about it, the demand from nonBlack political entities for Black stars to take a stand on their favored issue is not only public, but also carries with it a threat of financial boycott if the Black star does not agree. The latest non-Black organization to take such a bully position against a prominent AfricanAmerican is Houston’s LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Trans-Gender, and Queer) community. I must give them credit, they have gone to the top of the Black superstardom chain in regards to the figure that they are attempting to join their campaign surrounding the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (H.E.R.O.). The figure that they have targeted is none other than Houston’s own, Beyonce Knowles. HERO has divided the city of Houston, Texas, on several occasions. The ordinance that prohibits discrimination against people in the workplace, housing, and public accommodations --- restaurants, hotels, etc. --- because of their sex, race, ethnicity, age, etc. Considering that these protections already existed for many of these groups, the true reason for HERO’s creation was the protection of LGBTQ as they are not currently protected. Although the Houston City Council already approved the measure, a formidable swell from local Conservatives have succeeded in having the issue placed on the ballot of this year’s fast approaching election so that voters can decide if they want the Law. It is the recognition that the
Conservative element in Texas is a formidable political foe that has led activists within the LGBTQ community to begin a social media campaign to sway public opinion their way. The centerpiece of this campaign surrounds the ‘hashtag’ #BeyBeAHERO. The LGBTQ community recognizes that, except for a miracle, in all likelihood their measure will fail this November. Apparently, that ‘miracle’ is Beyonce, also known as Queen Bey. From the LGBTQ community’s perspective, ‘Queen Bey’ should support their movement for the simplest reason, that being, they have supported her throughout her career. Additionally, ‘Queen Bey’ has previously voiced support for LGBTQ issues previously. Although everyone has their opinion regarding HERO, I think that the more important elements surrounding this issue flow not from the proposed Law, rather from the LGBTQ strategy to achieve their political ends. Their logic surrounding Beyonce’s inclusion into their campaign is not only simple, but also something that AfricanAmerican political activists who seemingly never get anywhere with their public campaigns should pay very close attention to. 1. The LGBTQ community has supported ‘Queen Bey’ throughout her career. 2. The LGBTQ community now expects for you to support their political agenda. 3. In the event that ‘Queen Bey’ does not publicly support the LGBTQ political agenda, they will withdraw their support from ‘Queen Bey’. The most important and illuminating aspect of the LGBTQ political strategy is that they are actually placing a demand upon ‘Queen Bey’ that basically states, ‘Either you do this (support HERO) or we will do that (no longer support you with our dollars by attending your concerts or purchasing your albums). In a court of law these are criminal acts known as collusion and extortion. In politics, they are quite simply sound
business practices. Unfortunately for the AfricanAmerican community, there has been a failure to understand that there are quite simply no rules in the high-stakes game of politics nor any place for morality or begging your opponent for mercy. Considering these facts, it is highly advisable for the African-American community to recognize exactly what means the LGBTQ community is implementing to achieve their political ends. The African-American community would be well served to abandon their tendency of relying solely upon marching/protesting as a means of improving their political and socioeconomic position. They should follow the LGBTQ community’s lead in issuing a multipronged attack (protesting, social media campaign, political organizing, voter registration drives, and ‘getting out to vote’) against those who are standing between them and their desired goals. Although it would be unprecedented, what would occur if Black America implemented the strategies and tactics that we see others such as the LGBTQ implementing to achieve their political efforts? What would occur if we refused to support any Black stars who have failed to use their public platform to support our community by refusing to spend our dollars to support them? Considering the focus that such individuals place upon their financial ends, such a move would most certainly get their attention. Black superstars, and those that advise them, would have to weigh the financial risks that flow from their conscious choice to remain silent in the midst of their own people’s suffering. Although this is not a call to boycott African-American superstars such as Beyonce, Jay Z, Bun B, Denzil Washington, Oprah Winfrey, and the list goes on and on, it is a reminder that other groups, in this case the LGBTQ community, are making political progress through such maneuvers. To continue reading visit www.aframnews.com By: Dr. James Thomas Jones III
TX- 5
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Photo: Aldine ISD 281-898-4716 11718 SOUTH WILCREST elimination. Other schools would HOUSTON, TX 77099 be Smith, Stovall, Harris and Hill, Ad ve r tis e o nStuline all based on the same criteria. dents of magnet a f r aprograms m n e wthat s . chad om Fo r would m o r e i return n fo c a lto l been eliminated their home campus and given first CHAMBER priority forBLACK available slots in other magnet programs, with the exception of 4th grade students, who will be given the option of continuing at Houston Academy. Staff will be placed into 713-692-7161 vacant positions on other campuses. 6112 WHEATLEY ST The order would haveTX given HOUSTON, 77091the magnet program a protected status CHEMICAL and funds from the government would have been provided for their operation. Also, several events and items were reduced eliminatCitywideor Chemical ed, such asJanitorial the magnet and & festival Commercial technology fair. proposed cuts PestThe Control Company 3521 Jensen St. were approved by district trustHouston, TX 77026 713/227-4808 or 4809 ees at the January 25 school board Janitorial Supplies meeting before a packed house of Sales-Service-Supplies incensed parents and student. But Wholesale-Retail We repair Bamberg warns the cuts maybuffers, still vacuum, shampooers not be enough to meet and allthe otherneeds machines. Charles of the nation’s 12th largest district. SAME DAY FREE DELIVERY Dawson US METRO Administrators say they still need Dawson Chemical Chemical & Janitorial Supply Company & Janitorial Supply Company the budget. $18 million to balance 6010 Irvington -Hou.,TX 77009 4308 Kelley St. • Hou., TX 77026 “The only713/633-9019 way we’re 713/697-7137 going to get additional revenue at this point CHURCH is to look to the community,” said Bamberg, alluding to the need for Cliffdale increased property Baptisttax revenue, which could be as much as 13 cents Church per $100 value of property. (281) 447-8850 Ed.- Last week’s story, provided ENTERPRISE ST Pastor inaccurate854demographics for AISD. HOUSTON, TX 77088 Fred Sanders The correct numbers are 68.2 percent Hispanic, HOU-627 percent AfricanAmerican, 2.2 percent White.
Wednesday 7:30PM Leonard N. Barksdale, Pastor Fifth Ward Missionary Baptist Church 4300 Noble Street, Houston TX 77020 Ph: 713/675-5111 • Fx: 713/675-1522
Website: www.fwmbc.org
Fifth Ward Missionary Baptist Church members will endeavor to provide a strong foundation of love; we will stand on Biblical Truths; and we will equip one another to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our community and in our (713) 697-1758 world. 6616 D.S. BAILEY LN
Galilee M.B.C
Rev. Edwin A. Davisr, Pastor
TX 77091 CHURCHHOUSTON, OF CHRIST
FIDELITY CHURCH OF Light CHRIST Guiding “The Church That Cares” Inspirational
Baptist Church Sunday
Morning Bible Class 9:30 a.m. (713) 699-4448 Morning Worship6719 COHN ST Rev. Joseph 10:45 a.m. HOUSTON, TX 77091 Baker, Pasor Evening Bible Class 5:00 p.m. Evening Worship 6:00 p.m. Chorus Group Rehearsal 7:30 p.m.
House of Prayer Wednesday M.B.C.
MINISTER: Mid-Week Bible Class (281) 773-2750 Theaster Maloy, Sr. 7:00 p.m.
3521 DESOTO ST
Rev. Lloyd OFFICE: 713/674-5131 Giles, Pastor HOUSTON, TX 77091
140 Fidelity Rd. Houston Tx 77029
FLOWERS & GIFTS
FIFTH WARD CHURCH OF CHRIST
Shirley Ann’s
SUNDAY 8:00 a.m. Worship Black Kollectibles 10:00 a.m. Bible Class Flowers 11:15 a.m.&Worship p.m. Worship f6:00 loWer shoP 713-692-1100 MONDAY GifT shoP 713-692-1195 10:00 a.m. 6130 WHEATLEY GaryST Smith Ladies Bible Class Minister HOUSTON, TX 77091
WEDNESDAY 7:30 p.m. Bible Class for all
FUNERAL HOME Website
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In addition to their other activities, the 7411 WHEATLEY ST.a Bible Fifth Ward COC also holds Class for non-members Thursday HOUSTON, TX on 77088 nights at 7:30 PM. For more information on the various special events or activities you really should visit their website, it is very well done, informative and worth a visit even if you have another church home.
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746 West 22nd Street CHURCH OF GOD Houston, Texas 77008 IN CHRIST 713-869-4529
DUNCAN MEMORIAL “Committed to the Future”
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Texas • augusT 17 - 24, 2015
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All applicant are subject to verification of work experience, Certification, References, drug testing, and criminal history check, It is the policy of the Houston Independent School District not to discriminate on the basis of age, color, handicap or disability, ancestry, national origin, marital status, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or political affiliation in its educational or employment schedules and activities.
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Texas • August 17 - 24, 2015
Thursday Super Neighborhood #6 AUGUST 27 Houston 2015 Mayoral
Aug 17 - Aug 20
Monday - Thursday National Association of Real Estate Brokers, Inc. 68th NAREB Convention 4 Riverway Houston, TX 77056 Times Vary For more info contact (713) 871·8181 Thursday Iprayz Gospel Party & Showcase 1112 Southmore Blvd Houston, TX 77004 Beginning at 6pm For more info contact (800) 319-9231 Thursday Gulf Coast of Texas African-American Family Support Conference 9401 Knight Rd Houston, TX 77045 From 9:30am - 3:30pm For more info contact: (281) 272-2206
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Tuesday TX Dept of Transportaion US 290 Public Meeting Berry Center 8877 Barker Cypress Rd Cypress, TX 77433 From 5:30pm - 7:30pm For more info contact: (713) 802-5076
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Thursday
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Friday KCOH 1230 AM Dial Tune in to The Power Brokers Show From 8am - 9am
Saturday Cliffdale BC Back to School Event 854 Enterprise St Houston, TX 77088 From 12pm - 3pm For more info contact: (281) 684 - 7594
Gospel Party & Showcase 1112 Southmore Blvd Houston, TX 77004 Beginning at 6pm For more info contact (800) 319-9231
Sept 3 - 6
Thursday - Sunday Miller Outdoor Theatre Dancin’ in the Street Motown & More 6000 Herman Park Dr Houston, TX 77030 Beginning at 8:15pm For more info contact: (281) 373-3386
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Thomas Jones, Jr. Certified Public Accountant McConnell & Jones LLP
Acres Home Chamber for Bus. & Eco. Dev, Inc. Networking Luncheon 6112 Wheatley St Houston, TX 77091 From 11am -12:30pm For more info contact: (713) 692-7161 info@acreshomecenter.org
3 Thursday TX Dept of Transportaion US 290 Public Meeting Sheraton Brookhollow 3000 North Loop West Houston, Texas 77092 From 5:30pm - 7:30pm For more info contact: (713) 802-5076
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Saturday Harris County AFL-CIO Council BBQ Cook Off 7902 Fairmont Pkwy Pasadena, TX 77507 From 9am - 6pm For more info contact:
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Thursday Let the Fashions Begin Men of Style 2015 12333Gulf Frwy Houston, Texas 77034 From 6pm - 9pm For more info contact 832-595-2544
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Candidate Forum 1620 Dolly Wright St Houston, TX 77088 From 7pm - 9pm For more info contact: (281) 900-5707 (281) 447-6095
What’s Happenin’ 12 Saturday 3 Thursday Iprayz Acres Home
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Saturday Acres Home Chamber for Bus. & Eco. Dev, Inc. Digital Computer Class 6112 Wheatley St Houston, TX 77091 From 11am -12:30pm For more info contact: (713) 692-7161 Sunday Buck Street Memorial COGIC Family & Friends Day 3510 DesChaumes St Houston, TX 77026 From 11am -12:30pm For more info contact: (713) 455-1125 Tuesday Windsor Houston Networking Breakfast 6920 TC Jester Blvd Houston, TX 77091 Beginning at 9:20am For more info contact: (281) 224-0280
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African
Neighborhood Library Life & Legacy of Buelah Shepard 8501 W. Montgomery Houston, TX 77088 Beginning at 10am For more info contact: (832) 768-1876 Saturday Israel Baptist Church Health & Wellness fair 7805 Darlington St Houston, TX 77028 From 11am - 2pm For more info contact: (832) 264-4570
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Sept 11 - 12
Friday - Saturday Houston Art Partners 2105 Conference The Arts Fuel Innovation 4550 Post Oak Place Houston, TX 77027 Beginning at 9am For more info contact: (713) 552 9345
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Tuesday Bayou Blues n Jazz Cafe Ladies Night 2541 MacGregor Way Houston, TX 77004 Beginning at 7pm For more info contact: 713-750-9337 bayoubluesnjazzcafe.com
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Friday Indigo at Midtown Houston’s Music Mecca 2117 Chenevert St Houston, TX 77003 For more info contact: (713) 256-2793 www.indigoclubs.com
19 Saturday Acres Home Chamber for Bus. & Eco. Dev, Inc. Digital Computer Class 6112 Wheatley St Houston, TX 77091 From 11am -12:30pm For more info contact: (713) 692-7161
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Sunday First Baptist of Lincoln City BC FBC Praise Dancers 844 Fortune St Houston, TX 77088 Beginning at 11:30am For more info contact: (832)892-5078
Publish and Promote your Events through African-American News&Issues in print & online! Sunday Project Row Houses Run Houston 4800 Calhoun Rd Houston, TX 77004 From 7am - 10:30am For more info contact: (713) 526.7662
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African
American News&Issues
A PLACE TO CALL “HOME”
HOUSTON - There is a massive subgroup in our society which has collectively had the challenge of battling certain vulnerabilities such as lack of education, addiction, hereditary mental and emotional instability, inadequate job skills, inability to obtain gainful employment, unequal distribution of wages, incarceration, and general poverty (among other adversities). The quest to escape from these and other social disparities has proven to be quite complicated for these underprivileged citizens. Consequently, many of the individuals who are sufferers of such misfortunes have fallen through the cracks into a place of substandard living conditions, ultimately including homelessness. Although Houston’s homelessness rate is reported to have decreased by nearly fifty percent since 2011, the scope of this unceasing problem still possesses staggering statistics. It’s documented that more than 4,600 people in Houston are currently homeless. All the same, there is at least one place of refuge nestled in Houston’s ‘Midtown’ area that has made a remarkably huge difference in the lives of many men since 1996. In 1996, Mr. Norris Haynes used his modest personal funds to open the doors of the old Link Staffing building to a group of men who needed shelter. From there, the establishment has grown to the capacity of housing up to 139 men at a time. At present, the organization is home to 93 men. When asked about what living at the TX-8
C mmunity
‘Midtown Lodge’ means to them, several of the residents offered very personal heartfelt responses. C. M. Stone, a 60 year old White male noted the pleasant staff and having a stable place to live with help from new-found friends as what he values most about his 1 year residency at the facility. A second man, 56 year old ‘Big Drew’ was quick to mention how he has lived at the Midtown Lodge off and on for the past 15 years. He went on to say how the owner, Mrs. Sandra Haynes is nurturing, kind, and cool. Lovingly, he ended by saying, “This is home and she’s my friend.” One young man, who is affectionately nicknamed ‘Kind’ didn’t hesitate to say that during his four month stay; the thing he loves most is ‘Miss Sandra’. While referring to Miss Sandra Haynes as ‘honest’ and ‘real’, he called his overall experience awesome… the best! When I moved on to the final three men in the room, a 51 year old jokester called ‘Big Face’ put his light-hearted temperament aside just long enough to say, “This is a good place to be and a good way to transition into society so we can become more responsible for ourselves.” In line with the others, the next two men’s words were just as pleasurable. Terry (56 years of age), referred to himself as a newcomer who is greatly pleased about the opportunity to have a place he can afford and people like ’Big Mama’ (Sandra Haynes) around him to understand his struggle and help him through it. He proceeded to call his lodging experience ‘a stepping stone’ that will help him to move in the right direction, considering he’s a parolee. Finally, the last man, 53 year old Stephan Stoney only had this to say: “I’ve been here for 2 months. I appreciate the discipline and the respect we have here, because if you ain’t got respect, you ain’t nothing.” After hearing these remarks, it became very clear to me and my Photographer (Tyrone Wilson) that the current owner, Sandra Haynes has poured out the contents of her heart into making the Midtown Lodge more than just a place of business. Instead, it’s become more of a divine mission for her and a safe haven for the inhabitants. Sadly, two years ago, Mr. Norris Haynes passed away and passed the baton to his loving wife for her to continue on in the race. And as a result, she has gracefully taken on the feat of keeping her husband’s legacy and dream alive. She spoke of how he dreamed of making theirs a place where people who were once homeless wouldn’t still feel homeless once they came there; and a place where those who were once convicts wouldn’t still feel like convicts. TO CONTINUE READING VISIT WWW.AFRAMNEWS.COM STORY BY: SHELONDRA PEAVY PHOTO CREDIT: TYRONE WILSON
TEXAS • AUGUST 17 - 24, 2015
ILLEGAL DUMPING
Photo Depicts illegal trash on Migedley Street in Acres Home that residents have been reprting to the City of Houston for months
My office is committed to providing the resources and efforts in Acres Home in the fight against illegal dumping. When trash, unwanted junk, tires and hazardous materials wind up along roads or in a ditch in standing water, it is purely the result of a crime. The significant consequences of the dumping are the economic impact to the community, safety concerns for our children and the assault on our environment. It affects the quality of life in and around he illegal dumping site. The problem has progressed beyond just thoughtless individuals. We’ve seen companies skirt the laws and dump industrial waste in our community. Illegal dumping is the placement of waste onto private or public land where no license or approval exists to accept such waste. It varies from small bags of rubbish, tires, furniture and construction debris in an urban environment to larger scale dumping of materials in isolated areas, such as bushland. In the most common form of illegal dumping, people discard waste at a remote location or on an abandoned property instead of in a landfill. There is no typical illegal dumper—it can be anyone. Most illegal dumpers dispose of waste within 3 miles from where they actually live. Some spots have multiple dumpings every day. However, there are a few usual suspects…. There is the Midnight Dumper – he sneaks out in the middle of the night and dumps industrial waste into a sewer or rubber tires or construction material. The Midnight Dumper is too lazy and too cheap to pay the fee at the dump. He or she – yes, there are cases of women who do this - take the easy way out, not paying for their trash disposal. There are a lot of reasons people do this and none of them are legitimate. If they are not very intelligent, they use their own vehicle, hoping that under the
cover of darkness they won’t be caught. Others rent a truck to perpetrate the crime. There are Brazen Broad Daylight Dumpers in residential areas – they think people are at work and that neighbors won’t see them. They stop on a street, dump and get in and out in 30 seconds. People are becoming unbelievably aggressive. They’ll dump a broken TV or computer on the sidewalk. They will push a rotten mattress or smoke-damaged sofa out of the back of their pickup truck. We’re seeing demolition debris, tree branches, live animals, dead animals, household trash and tires to name a few. Who knows what the reasons are? Most of the time it’s just laziness, or the expense of dumping the material legally or maybe the garbage truck for the day has come and gone. In the past, sometimes we could catch them if there was trace evidence, sometimes not. With a new surveillance camera program that will be rolled out, now, we can capture their crimes on video, prosecute them and force them to pay for the clean-up. Currently, we are in the process of procuring cameras that we can install in chronic illegal dumping areas. We then start taking video from these cameras that show license plates and faces of the offenders very clearly, and then begin making arrests. We run the plate, find the vehicle and start investigating to the owner of the vehicle. Our initial pilot program is successful and we are adding cameras that were given to us by the city and will target multiple illegal dumping sites. TO CONTINUE READING VISIT WWW.AFRAMNEWS.COM BY: CONSTABLE ALAN ROSEN, HARRIS COUNTYPRECINCT ONE PHOTO CREDIT: CHANDRA JARMON
TEXAS • AUGUST 17 - 24, 2015
Religion
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY PASTOR GUSTA BOOKER
Black Kollectibles & F lowers le Availab Now!
GUSTA BOOKER JR., ALITA BOOKER REED, PASTOR GUSTA BOOKER AND CO-PASTOR RONALD BOOKER
HOUSTON - Recently, Pastor Gusta Booker celebrated his birthday at Brady’s Landing. The 11 AM message was delivered by Pastor Carl Jerome Bruce, Pastor of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Yonkers, New York. Special Guest in attendance was Mayoral candidate, State Representative Sylvester Turner. Dr. Gusta Booker is the senior pastor of Greater St. Matthew Church located at 7701 Jutland Rd, 77033 (SE) and 14919 South Main St. Houston, TX 77035 (SW). It is one church with two locations, and is one of the fastest growing churches in Houston. Rev. Booker is the youngest of nine children born to the late Rev. Gusta Booker, Sr. and the late Mrs. Gussie Booker, on August 11, 1943 in Columbus, Texas. He was united in holy matrimony to Theola Massie in 1964, and they are the affectionate parents of three children and four grandchildren. Rev. Booker’s education begins in Columbus, Texas where he graduated in 1962. He received his B.A. degree in Education from Texas Southern University in 1966. He has done graduate work toward a Master Degree in Counseling and Guidance. Rev. Booker accepted his calling in the ministry in 1967. He later founded Greater St. Matthew Southeast, and in 1994, he founded Greater St. Matthew Southwest. In 1995, the Lindler-Booker Family Life Center (Gym) was constructed. Booker is founder and First Moderator of Gulf Coast Baptist Association, Past President of Central State Convention of Texas, and Chairman of the Christian Education Board of the National Baptist Convention of America. He also has a television
and radio ministries that can be seen and heard in Houston, Austin and Beaumont and surrounding areas. Inducted into the Religious Hall of Fame in Dallas Texas in 2004, Pastor Booker is a Texas religious icon. He is a leader, Bible scholar, educator, SISTERS OF THE SUN and an author. In addition to his most recent book, 1000 PC. JIGSAW PUZZLE Making Sense of Family, he has authored such titles Gift Shop: 713-692-1195 Store Hours: Thursday 11:30am - 4pm | Friday & Saturday 11am - 5pm as: Making Sense of Fasting and Praying, Living Beyond the Pain, and After the Honeymoon. Funerals * Hospitals * Sympathy * Birthdays * Anniversaries * Weddings Rev. Booker is continuing to strive and work Valentine * Women’s Day * Easter * Mother’s/Father’s Day * Schools & More for the Lord. He is a firm believer that by faith all things are possible, and with God’s continuous blessings we will all shine within the Grace of God. His Message to Youths, “As we enter into a new millennium, I want to encourage the young to stay focused as you face many many obstacles in ine life. The pull of the world is every bit as strong as Onl earth’s gravity. Pay close attention to the comalog Cat mercials on television and observe what they’re ing advertising and how virtually every word, picture, Com ! and sound is designed to pull you in. To make you oon S dissatisfied with what you have, what you look like, and who you are.” It’s not just on the television. Major The world influences you with bad C r edit C thoughts and opinions. ar A ccepte ds For more information about church and upcomPole Ivy d ing events contact (713) 734-5670 or visit http:// Plant greaterstmatthewchurch.com/ MORNING WORSHIP SUNDAYS @ 8am & 11am (SE) SUNDAYS @ 9:30am (SW) Store Hours 713-692-1100 We Tues: 12pm - 5pm BIBLE STUDY WEDNESDAYS @ 7pm (SE) Se habla español ! r Wed, Thurs, Fri: 8:30am - 5pm Delive THURSDAYS @ 7:15pm (SW) We A ppr eciate
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Health
Texas • August 17 - 24, 2015
Depression & Stress: Faking It Until You Make It Can Hurt In The Long Run
‘Fake it until you make it’. How often have we received and heeded this advice when we are seriously stressed? It is hard to ignore since it almost always comes from the people who love us the most. Sometimes, we heed this advice without being fully aware of it because masking stress or pain is so deeply embedded in our ‘survival tactic DNA’.
Many of our ancestors practiced masking or hiding pain because their day-to-day survival depended on it. So we learned to mask our stress and pain in similar ways. Some of us also watched
our mothers, fathers and grandparents cope with stress by using this tactic. The urge to fake it until we make it may be even stronger when we experience stress stemming from discrimination and unfairness since they are difficult to validate. We go to great lengths to hide any rip in our emotional vests because doing so helps us feel safer and in control. But, the truth of the matter is that these survival tactics only provide temporary pain relief and may set us up to feel mental distress. And ironically, we may even feel more mental distress when we routinely try to push stress out of our awareness. Bottom line – We can only fake it for so long until we realize that we are not really making it at all. Depression, one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health conditions, is one sign that despite faking it, you may not be really making it. The most recent estimates from National Institutes of Mental Health indicate that 10.4 million adults in the US (those 18 and older) had one episode of depression that led to significant impairment. Far fewer Blacks are diagnosed with depression than Whites. But, this does not mean that stress is not taking a toll on our health. In fact, researchers at
Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Michigan suggest that Blacks use other kinds of behaviors (like overeating and substance use) to mask stress and depression. These behaviors have their own set of consequences and are another sign that ‘faking it’ can have even broader impacts on our health. Some common symptoms of depression include: • Difficulty falling or staying asleep • Irritability • Frequent crying • Trouble concentrating • Feeling hopeless, helpless, sad, or empty • Loss of interest in activities There are different forms of depression and the symptoms described above can range from mild to severe. Some forms of depression can also be treated with therapy alone and some might indicate the need for medication. But, you won’t know where you stand if you don’t take off the mask and seek help. Seeking help for depression often runs counter to all the survival advice and social messages we receive. Black women are urged to be superwomen. While Black men are instructed to “take stress like a man”. But masks and capes are for
Preserving Your Mental Health In The Face Of Racism
Experiences of racism (whether personal or witnessing racism towards others) present a significant threat to healthy mental functioning. Racism has the potential to affect self-esteem, elicits anger (appropriately so), and can even lead to symptoms of depression over time. But there is good news! Views of yourself as a racial and cultural person (racial identity) can protect you from the potential negative impact of racist events. There are several components to racial identity: • • • TX-10
How important is race to you Your ideas about how Black people should behave and interact with society How you view Black people
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How you believe other people view Black people While self-knowledge alone is often the key to increased mental health, there is some evidence that suggests that certain aspects of racial identity can buffer against racism more than others. For example, Black people who report seeing race as important to who they are, feel positively about being Black, and acknowledge some of the negative views about Black people held by others have reported lower levels of depression symptoms when faced with racism. There is no “right” way to be Black, but exploring how you see yourself can improve your mental health. The process alone of acknowledging experiences of racism, whether they happen to you or
someone else, can help you cope, and will likely improve your relationships with people you care about. Three Ways to Explore Your Own Racial Identity Take a self-assessment on racial identity available here. Write down what reactions you have to the questions and to the results. For one week, try to keep track of times when you become aware of your race and see what feelings come up. Then go back to your reflections of the assessment. You might be surprised what you discover about yourself, or it might confirm something you already knew. If you want to take the results of the assessment a step further, encourage friends and family members to complete it, so you can discuss your reactions as
cartoon characters and masquerade balls. It’s time we all retire them from use in our day-to-day lives. So how do you stop faking it and begin really making it? Step 1. Take your emotional temperature and honor where you are. Expressing emotions are not a sign of weakness. Getting angry, especially in response to unjust behavior, is legitimate. Step 2. Ventilate don’t isolate. It is important that you find someone you trust to share your stress experiences with. Use your village of family and friends to both check your emotional temperature and get support. Step 3. Take off the masks and capes. Seek professional help if you notice that your emotional temperature constantly runs high or the weight of your stress is leading to the depression symptoms described earlier. Social workers, psychologists and pastors can provide counseling and support. Remember, those who love you the most want you to be healthy, happy and really whole. Faking it is no longer an option. By: Dr. Wizdom Powell Read More on BlackDoctor.org
a group. Pay particular attention to your emotions, especially the ones that linger after those conversations. Put in effort to be open to other people’s ideas in these conversations, as you may run into differences of opinion. Remember, there is no “right” racial identity that you need to encourage in other people, but there is one that is right for YOU. Discussing your racial identity and experiences with discrimination are frequent topics in therapy. Connect with a therapist to explore your racial identity further. If completing the assessment or conversations with friends and family lead you to want to develop a positive view of yourself or cope with racism, therapy can be a way to help with that process. By: Dr Rebecca Hubbard Read More on BlackDoctor.org
Texas • August 17 - 24, 2015
Local & State
Why Certifying The Appraisal Roll Is Important
This month I will be certifying the appraisal roll, which is something I do each year as chief appraiser for Harris County. Certification of the roll means essentially that the appraisal district has verified the value, ownership and exemptions of all taxable properties for that year and most – at least 90 percent - of the property value in the county is now set. The protests property owners filed earlier in the year have been resolved either through a meeting with an appraiser or through a hearing with the Appraisal Review Board (ARB). When I certify the appraisal roll in mid-August, I expect that we will have only approximately 5 percent of the value that is still under protest.
The second reason certification is important is because it means that the governing body of a taxing unit – for example, the Houston City Council – can then adopt a tax rate and budget that produces the tax dollars needed to pay for the services the city provides, such as police and fire protection, trash collection and street maintenance. Without a certified appraisal roll, taxing units cannot adopt a tax rate. The tax rate is important to you because the tax rate, along with the exemptions allowed, determines the amount of tax you will pay. Each year, the taxing unit’s governing body can decide whether to lower the tax rate, keep it the same or increase it. You can play a part in that process.
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Once the taxing units receive the appraisal roll, the next step is for them to set the budget and then publish the proposed tax rate. The tax rate will reflect the amount of money that must be produced in order for the unit to meet its budgeted needs. As a taxpayer, you have the right to know about any proposed tax rate increase and have time to comment on it. This means that you may speak out at public hearings when your elected officials are deciding how to spend your tax dollars and setting the tax rate. Public hearings are often advertised in newspapers and on the jurisdiction’s web site. Look for them to start in September. Once citizens have been given the opportunity to provide their input, the governing body sets the tax rate, the tax bills go out and the process of
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Property Value Matters By Sands Stiefer HCAD Chief Appraiser collecting the taxes begins. Taxpayers have until January 31 of the following year to pay their taxes without incurring a penalty. When January 31 falls on a weekend, as it does in 2016, you have until the close of business the following day to pay your taxes without penalty.
Republicans Urged to Support Voting Rights 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT
C
ongresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a Senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee, recently hosted constituents, veterans of the civil rights movement, student groups, local faith leaders and community activists at an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and calling on Republicans in Congress to support Voting Rights Now! Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee stated,“The right to vote is the bedrock of our democratic society. Fifty years after President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, it is clear that the struggle for the right to vote is not over. We must renew our commitment to protecting this fundamental right for all Americans. I call on House Republicans to allow an immediate vote on federal legislation to restore the Voting Rights Act, to update and modernize our voter registration systems and require all states to allow some form of early voting. “An attack on the right to vote is under way across the country through laws designed to make it more difficult to cast a ballot. While based in terms of voter fraud, these laws will actually have their greatest impact by limiting participation of African Americans, Latinos, Asians and the young. Yesterday the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, found that the Texas Voter ID law
violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the law imposes strict, unforgiving burdens on the poor and noted that racial minorities in Texas are more likely to live in poverty. The Voting Rights Act is for EVERYONE!!!! She continued, “In 1940, for example, there were less than 30,000 African Americans registered to vote in Texas and only about 3% of African Americans living in the South were registered to vote. Poll taxes, literacy tests, and threats of violence were the major causes of these racially discriminatory results. After passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, which prohibited these discriminatory practices, registration and electoral participation steadily increased to the point that by 2012, more than 1.2 million African Americans living in Texas were registered to vote. In 1964, the year before the Voting Rights Act became law, there were approximately 300 African-Americans in public office, including just three in Congress. Because of the Voting Rights Act, as of 2013 there are more than 9,100 black elected officials, including 43 members of Congress, the largest number ever. “The right to vote is a critical and sacred constitutionally protected civil right.
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